The present invention relates to a syringe and more particularly to a self destructing syringe which can only be used once and is thereafter rendered useless.
Among many of the problems facing the world today, drugs and AIDS are two of the most devastating problems and the two are very much intertwined. It is the belief of researchers that a large contributing factor to the spread of AIDS is intravenous drug use. It is believed that drug users commonly share syringes used to inject drugs which in turn spreads the AIDS virus between users of the same needle. Further spreading of the AIDS virus is through further contact with the AIDS carrier either through further sharing of needles or other contact.
In an effort to reduce the occurrence of needle or syringe sharing by drug users and thereby to try and reduce the spread of the AIDS virus, the United States government is planning to freely distribute syringes to intravenous drug users. It is the thought that by giving away syringes and making them freely accessible, there will be less likelihood that users will share needles and ultimately it is hoped that the spread of AIDS virus will be reduced.
Although this plan may in fact reduce the spread of AIDS, there is no assurance that intravenous drug users will not stop sharing needles even if they receive them for free. It is not beyond reason that there will continue to be sharing of syringes even after the government begins to freely supply them. In view of this continued possibility for the sharing of syringes and the resultant spread of the AIDS virus, there has been great interest in the medical community for the development of a syringe which can only be used once and is thereafter rendered useless.